Collator sheet ejecting means



Jan. 6, 1953 H. B. DIXON ET AL 2,524,571

COLLATOR SHEET EJECTING MEANS Filed May 10, 1948 1 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 56, F.- A 57 U l i j f/g Z INVENTORS HOWARD 5 mxon FRANK AL MADA BY AT TOR N EYS.

Jan. 6, 1953 H. B. DIXON ET AL 2,624,571

COLLATOR SHEET EJECTING MEANS Filed May 10, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS HOWARD B. DI XON BYFRAHK ALMADA Bm1Lmu M ownv ATTORNEYS.

1953 H. B. DIXON ET AL 2,624,571

COLLATOR SHEET EJECTING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 10 1948 INVENTOR.

HbwARo E DIXON FRANK ALMADA.

ATTORN 5Y5 Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Howard B. Dixon and Frank Almada, San Francisco, Calif.

Application May 10, 1948, Serial No. 26,006

Claims.

Thi invention relates to collators and has for one of its objects the provision of a collator Which will collate sheets more rapidly and emciently than heretofore and which collator is adapted to be actuated automatically, if desired, Without requiring the attention of an operator except for keeping a supply of sheets in the machine.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a collator that is adapted to quickly and completely eject the sheets to be collated from the separate stacks of dilierent sheets and to collate or to gather said sheets in their proper order in sets.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a collator that is adapted to collate sheets in successive sets in a pile without requiring the attention of the operator for removing each set as collated, and which sets are distinct from each other to facilitate binding.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a collator that is more economical to make than heretofore and that is reliable and efficient.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of improved ejector means in a collator that is adapted to eificiently and quickly eject the uppermost sheets from a plurality of stacks in proper order and to collate the same.

Heretofore most collators require an operator to withdraw sheets from stacks. The machines are designed to partially remove the sheets and the operator than grasps them and pulls them from the stacks arranged in their desired order, or else the operator must manually hold the sheets as they are ejected. mittently remove sheets in successive movements. Such devices are relatively slow and require the constant presence of an operator.

With the present invention, the sheets are fully ejected from their stacks in one stroke of the ejectors and automatically fall in order in a set.

Means is provided so that each set is shifted after ejection of the sheets to form the set, and subsequently ejected sets willbe offset relative to the preceding set, thus enabling the sets to maintain their identify. In this manner the operator merely keeps sheets in the collator and the rest is automatic.

Also, by the present invention, the sheets can be stapled as collatedand this stapling operation Some ejectors inter- 2 structure whereby the respective sheet in the collator can be ejected at slightly different times in order to arrive at a predetermined point'at the same time where the travel to said pointis by gravity.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the specification and in the drawings.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a semi-diagrammatic side view of a collator, certain parts being broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the collator of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken through one only of the sections of the collator that contains one stack of sheets,.said section being taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the sheets being indicated by parallel lines and not in section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the sheets being indicated by parallel lines instead of being shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a semi-diagrammatic view of a stapler that may be used, including an electrical circuit in which it may be positioned for automatic actuation thereof by actuation of part of the collator.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the receiver that may be part of the collator, including means for actuating the same so as to cause each successive set of collated sheet to be shifted relative to the set that has been collated immediately prior thereto.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken along line l-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line B8 of Fig. 6.

In detail, the collator comprises a plurality of superposed vertically spaced shelves I on each of which is adapted to be positioned a stack of sheets 2.

The sheets in each stack are the same but the sheets in each stack differ from those in the other stacks. In actual practice, assuming a five sheet booklet has been published, the top shelf in the collator of Fig. 1 will carry a stack of the first sheets, the next shelf will carry a stack of the second sheets, and so on to the fifth shelf which will carry a stack of the fifth sheets.

A holder generally designated 3 may be part of each shelf or supported thereon for holding each stack of sheets, which holder has opposed .side walls 3 and an end wall 5 (Fig. 3). The spacing between side walls 3 should be such that the sheets 2 snugly fit between said side walls so that the two oppoite side edges of each sheet have fricitional engagement with said side walls. This arrangement enables the top sheet in each stack to be ejected therefrom by sliding it off the remainder f the stack without effecting double feeding, which is the discharge of two sheets or more at a time instead of one.

The main shelves I are spaced from each other by opposed side frame walls I (Fig. 3) and which walls may connect adjacent pairs of shelves, although preferably a top wall 8 extends between the upper edges of said frame walls.

Centrally depending from each top wall 8 is a horizontally extending downwardly opening channel member 9. This member 9 extends longitudinally of the sheets 2 therebelow and preferably centrally over such sheets.

A vertical stub shaft l0 extends upwardly into said channel member through its open side and carries a roller II on its upper end within said member. The free edges of said channel member extend toward each other below said roller thus retaining the latter within said member.

The lower end of shaft [0 is rigidly secured to a horizontally extending bar [5 that is at right angles to the channel member 9 and that is spaced below said member a sufiicient distance for pivotally connecting one end of a connecting rod to said shaft, as will later be explained.

The bar l5 has a pair of arms l6 depending therefrom, which arms have axially aligned sleeves I! at their lower ends through which a shaft l8 rotatably extends in parallel relationship to bar [5.

This shaft l8 has wheels It at its opposite ends, which wheels have peripheral grooves for parallel tracks 20 that may be suspended from the top 8. In this manner the shaft l8 and bar l5 are supported for reciprocable movement over shelf I and the stack of paper 2 adapted to be supported on said shelf within holder 3. Also the shaft I 8 is rotatable relative to the bar I5. Collars 2| secured to shaft I8 at opposite sides of one of the sleeves or bearings l1 prevent end motion of shaft I 8.

Directly below the stub shaft In on shaft i8 is secured a hollow generally conical body 22 dicposed with its smaller end adjacent shaft [8 and with its larger end directed forwardly and downwardly as best seen in Figs. 3, 4.

The top wall 23 and bottom wall 24 of this body 22 are flat and extend convergently toward the shaft l8 from the larger end of said body. The side walls 25 are parallel and vertical and connect the corresponding side edges of said top and bottom walls. An extension 23 of top wall 23 connects the body 22 rigidly with shaft I 8.

A short strip 2'! extends into the larger open end of the body 22 being horizontally pivoted at 28 to sides 25 centrally between the top and bottom walls 23, 24. The strip 27 projects from the larger open end of the body and is free to swing up and down within the limits of the top and bottom walls 23, 24.

Secured to the projecting end of said strip 2'! is a bowed leaf spring 29 having its bowed or con vexly curved side facing generally toward the open end of shelf l in direction away from the end wall 5 of the holder 3. This spring extends generally downwardly and toward said open end and carries a shoe or finger 39 of friction material, such as rubber, at its lower forward end, which finger may have a corrugated downwardly facing surface of generally convex contour in direction longitudinally of the sheets 2 with the cation over each shelf I.

uppermost of which said lower surface is adapted to engage.

Secured to the shaft i8 adjacent one of its ends is one end of a horizontally extending arm 3i that projects forwardly from said shaft, it being understood that the term forwardly is used with respect to the open side of the shelf which is the forward side of the same. This arm 3| then extends upwardly at 32 and laterally at 33 toward the side wall 1 adjacent thereto (Figs. 3, 4). On the outer end of the lateral extension 33 is a wheel 34.

Wheel 34 is adapted to roll on a horizontal guide track 36 that extends slantingly upwardly at its forward and rear ends as at 31, 38 respectively (Fig. 4). The horizontal track 36 is parallel with the tracks and the inclined forward end 31 terminates in a horizontal extension 39.

Above the horizontal tra 36 is a second horizontally extending track 50 that is at the same level as the horizontal forward extension 39. This track 40 terminates at its forward and rear ends a sufficient distance from the upper ends of the inclined portions 31, 38 to permit the wheel 34 to pass between the ends of said track E0 and said upper ends of inclined portions 31, 38.

Bridging the space between the forward end of track 40 and the upper end of the inclined portion 3'! is a track section 4| that is horizontally pivoted to track 40 at 42, the end of the latter adjacent the inclined portion 31.

The entire assembly of elements I! to 34, except for tracks 29, vertically forms travelling carriage that is supported on tracks 26 for recipro- This carriage constitutes the sheet ejector mechanism. It will be seen that when the carriage is at the forward end of the shelf the wheel 34 will travel upwardly on the inclined track 37, thus rotating shaft [8 and causing the body 22 that carries the spring 29 and shoe or finger 3G to be elevated as indicated by dash lines shown in Fig. 4. The wheel 34 will lift the pivoted track section 4| which will fall behind the wheel as soon as the latter is on the horizontal track extension 39. Then when the carriage is moved rearwardly or in a reverse direction, the wheel 34 will roll over the section 4! and onto track 48 until it rolls off the rear end of the track and onto the downwardly inclined track section 38. During this rearward travel the actual sheet ejector, which is the shoe or finger 36, is elevated off the stack of sheets 2. Spring 94 holds wheel 34 against the tracks.

There is a similar ejector mechanism, including the ejector 30, over each of the shelves I. These ejectors are simultaneously actuatable for reciprocation by means of a vertical crank shaft 44 having a crank 45 for each ejector.

Each crank 45 is connected with the stub shaft ID on each ejector mechanism by a connecting rod 46.

The crank shaft 45 may be journalled for rotation in suitable bearings 41 carried by the shelves l and top walls 8, and upon rotation of said shaft by any suitable means, such as a hand crank 48 or by a motor, the ejector mechanisms over the shelves I will be reciprocated and upon each ejection stroke the ejectors 30 will engage the uppermost sheet of each stack on the forward movement of each ejector, and will completely eject such sheet from the stack. The throw of the cranks is sufficient to cause such ejection and an important feature in this is the fact that the ejectors 30 are elevated to clear theuppermost sheets while they are moving in a forward direction in theejection stroke.

It has also been found that the engagement between the ejectors and the uppermost sheets during the ejection stroke is highly desirable, rather than having the ejector engage the sheet and then move in said direction from a stationary start. The top sheets readily slip off the under sheets if the ejectors are moving in the ejection stroke when they engage the top sheets. During the return stroke of the ejectors, they are lifted clear of the stack.

It is also important to note that the ejectors 3B are gravity actuated to follow the. level of the stack as the sheets are discharged. This is due to the pivotal connection between the ejector and the body 22 of each ejectormechanism. The

degree: of pivotal action under the influence. of gravity is sufficient to enable a large number of sheets to be placed on each shelf and automatically ejected.

It has also been found that the. particular arrangement of the new spring arm 29 is im.- portant. A straight armor one that is differently bowed does not give the desired results. With the structure herein described, there is a yieldability in the arm during the time the ejector is ejecting a sheet and particularly at the moment of the engagement between the ejector and the sheet during said ejection stroke.

The cranks 45 are preferably sections of the crank shaft being rigidly, but adjustably coupled together by any suitable conventional couplings 50 which may be secured to the adjacent ends of the crank sections by set screws or the like so that the cranks need not be necessarily aligned one above the other but may be offset relative to each other as indicated in the dash lines in Fig. 2.

The provision of the sectional crank shaft enables adding more cranks in the event of adding more shelves, or else sections may be as readily removed where less shelves are required. In. other words, one user may never use more than three sheets, in booklets he may publish,

in which instance he would only require three shelves and three cranks, whereas another may publish booklets containing ten sheets or more, in which case the number of shelves and cranks wouldcorrespond with the maximum number of sheets in the booklet. Of course, in most instances, the user may prefer two or more collating operations for a booklet of say ten or fifteen sheets, in which case he could use the five shelf collator for collating'pages 1 to 5 and 5 to and 10 to in three operations, or else he could use a three shelf collator five times, if desired. In any event, whether three, five, ten or any number of shelves were used, the sectional shelf and crank arrangement would enable adding to or subtracting from the equipment already owned, as the case might be.

Extending from each shelf i is a chute 55, and said chutes extend to a receiver 5e where the chutes discharge the sheets thereon into said receiver in the order in which the sheets are in the collator. Inasmuch as the discharge ends of the chutes are substantially lower than the shelves, the sheets will move by gravity down the chutes and into the receiver. The lower shelf is much closer to the receiver than the upper shelf and while the chute from the upper shelf is steeper than the chute from the lower shelf, the sheet from the lower shelf reaches the receiver in a shorter time than the sheet from the upper shelf, and the sheets from the intermediate shelves reach the receiver at slightly different times. This may be compensated for by adjusting the cranks relative to each other about the axis of the crank shaft as seen in Fig. 2.

While the cranks move simultaneously in the ejection stroke, the ejectors do not necessarily discharge the sheets at the same time. The times of discharge are regulated through adjustment of the cranks so that the sheets will be discharged into the receiver at substantially the same time whereby they will be in the proper order in the receiver.

The sides of the receiver-shown in Figs. ,1, 2 are vertically slotted to enable manual removal of the sets of sheets discharged into the receiver.

Where an operator is in attendanceto remove the sets, an automatic stapler 5'! may be used. This stapler has the usual upper and lower jaws pivotally connected for swinging together and for stapling together sheets between said jaws.

The stapler is positioned at the side of the receiver opposite the discharge ends of chutes 55 and the sheets that are discharged into said chute automatically enter the space between the jaws of the stapler. A rotary switch 58 having a contact 59 revolvable with shaft ill will close the solenoid circuit after a set of sheets has been deposited in receiver 56, thus actuating the solenoid 5B for actuating the stapler, thereby stapling the set of sheets.

Usually the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 to 8, or the equivalent thereof, is preferred inasmuch as no attendant is necessary, although thestapling operation is not performed in this form.

The crank shaft l i may have a pulley 65 there on connected by a belt 6% with any suitable source of power (not shown) such as the reduc tion gear box of a motor.

Secured onshaft 3 3 is a pinion 5t, theteeth of which are in mesh with the teeth of a gear 61-. The ratio between pinion 65 and gear 61 is pref: erably two to one, whereby two revolutions of pinion t5 will effectone revolution of gear 61.

The gear Si is secured on a shaft 63 that in turn is journalled in a bearing 69 carried by a rigid frame it. Said shaft is provided with a radially projecting arm H having a depending vertical pin-l2 on its outer end.

his pin ii! is revolvable between the arms l3 of ayoke that is sli-dable in. guides it. on the. opposed sides of arms it are projections 75, "it, one on each arm, and, which. projectionsare so positioned that the pin '52 in revolving inthe direction of the arrow (Fig. '7 will engagethe projection 55, thus moving the yoke tothe right (as seen in Fig. 7) for a limited distance during a portion of one half the revolution of said pin and during the same portion of the other half of said revolution the pin will engage the projection it, moving the yoke a predetermined distance in the opposite direction. Thus, during one revolution of the pinion it the yoke will be moved in one direction and during the next revolution of said pinion the yoke will be moved in the opposite direction. The degree of movement of the yoke will depend upon the length of the projections and the distance of pin i2 from the shaft 58.

The yoke arms 73 are connected at one of their ends by a cross head or bar 71 and a connecting rod it is pivotally connected at one end with said bar. Thisrod i3 is recipr-ocable in a bearing 19 and the end opposite the yoke is connected to the outer end of a lever arm 80 that is secured at its other end to a vertical rotary shaft Bl.

Shaft 8| carries a two sided receiver 82 at its upper end position so that sheets from the chutes 53 will drop onto the bottom of said receiver when one open side of the receiver is adjacent the discharge ends of the chutes. A quarter turn of the shaft 8! will position the other open side of the receiver adjacent said chutes.

One of the two closed sides 83 will stop the sheets discharged into the receiver when the receiver is in either one of the above two positions.

After one actuation of the ejectors 30 and after the sets of sheets have been discharged into the receiver, the rotation of shaft 44 will cause the yoke arms 13 to be moved in one direction for effecting a quarter turn of the shaft BI and receiver 82. Then the next revolution of shaft 44 will cause a second set of sheets to be ejected into the receiver crosswise of the first set and the yoke arm will be moved in the opposite direction and the cycle will be repeated.

As the weight of the sets ejected into the receiver increases, the receiver will be automatically lowered by compressing spring 85. A splined connection between shaft 8! and lever 80 permits this lowering of the receiver.

As seen in Fig. 6, the shaft 8| is rotatable in an upper bearing 90 that is splined to an upward extension 9! on a lower bearing 92. This upper bearing has a radially outwardly projecting flange 93 on which the receiver is 1'0- tatable, the spring 85 being stationary and stationarily engaging the under side of said flange 93. Thus the flange 93 constitutes a support for the receiver as well as a thrust bearing.

In the use of a rotatable receiver connected in synchronism with the ejectors, the shelves may be loaded with sheets and the motor started, and no further attention need be given, except to keep sheets on the shelves. In most instances the shelves will carry the full run of sheets and the play between spring arms 29 and the members 22 enables each ejector 30 to follow each stack of sheets by gravity from the top to the bottom and the capacity of each shelf is upwards of a thousand sheets.

The detailed description and drawings are not intended to be restrictive of the invention to the precise details so shown and described, inasmuch as it is obvious that certain variations may be made without departure from the invention. Different mechanical movements can be employed to oscillate the receiver, and the latter may be lowered by positive mechanical means, if desired, although the form shown is preferable.

We claim:

1. A collator comprising a plurality of superposed shelves open at one of their corresponding ends, each shelf being adapted to support a stack of sheets thereon, an ejector over each shelf supported for reciprocation in a direction toward and away from said open end of each shelf, each of said ejectors being gravity actuated for downward movement into engagement with the uppermost sheet of each stack during each ejection stroke toward said open end, a mechanism including guide means for automatically elevating each ejector from each stack at the end of each ejection stroke and for holding each ejector elevated during the return stroke between each ejection stroke, means for releasing each ejector for downward movement by gravity into engagement with the uppermost sheet in each stack at the end of each said return stroke, each ejector including a bowed spring arm having a friction finger of relatively soft friction material at one end for engaging each sheet, and the opposite end being pivoted for downward swinging of said finger by gravity, said spring arm extending generally upwardly from said finger and bowed in direction of movement of the same during the ejection stroke, a horizontally reciprocable carriage for each spring arm to which said opposite end of each arm is pivoted and means for reciprocating each of said carriages in said direc tion toward and away from said open ends of said shelves.

2. A collator comprising a plurality of superposed shelves open at one of their corresponding ends, each shelf being adapted to support a stack of sheets thereon, a vertical crank shaft adjacent the ends of said shelves opposite their open ends, an ejector over each shelf supported for reciprocation toward and away from the open ends of said shelves, cranks on said shaft respectively connected with said ejectors for causing said reciprocation of the latter, the throw of each of said cranks being sufiicient to effect complete ejection of the uppermost sheet of each stack by each ejector upon each revolution of said crank shaft, said cranks being relatively offset to effect successive ejection of said uppermost sheets during rotation of said shaft means pivotally supporting each ejector for downward swinging by gravity into engagement with the uppermost sheet of each stack during the ejection stroke thereof, and means for elevating each ejector clear of the stack therebelow during the return stroke of each ejector.

3. A collator comprising a plurality of superposed shelves open at one of their corresponding ends, each shelf being adapted to support a stack of sheets thereon, a vertical crank shaft adjacent the ends of said shelves opposite their open ends, an ejector over each shelf supported for reciprocation toward and away from the open ends of said shelves, cranks on said shaft respectively connected with said ejectors for causing said reciprocation of the latter, the throw of each of said cranks being sufiicient to effect complete ejection of the uppermost sheet of each stack by each ejector upon each revolution of said crank shaft, means pivotally supporting each ejector for downward swinging by gravity into engagement with the uppermost sheet of each stack during the ejection stroke thereof, and means for elevating each ejector clear of the stack therebelow during the return stroke of each ejector, said shaft being in sections with a crank in each section, and means removably securing said sections together whereby said shaft and the number of cranks may be varied in length and number as may be desired.

4. A collator comprising a plurality of superposed shelves open at one of their corresponding ends, each shelf being adapted to support a stack of sheets thereon, a vertical crank shaft adjacent the ends of said shelves opposite their open ends, an ejector over each shelf supported for reciprocation toward and away from the open ends of said shelves, cranks on said shaft respectively connected with said ejectors for causing said reciprocation of the latter, the throw of each of said cranks being suflicient to effect complete ejection of the uppermost sheet of each stack by each ejector upon each revolution of said crank shaft, said cranks being relatively offset to eirect successive ejection of said uppermost sheets during rotation of said shaft means pivotally supporting each ejector for downward swinging by gravity into engagement with the uppermost sheet of each stack during the ejection stroke thereof, and means for elevating each ejector clear of the stack therebelow during the return stroke of each ejector, said last mentioned means including an upwardly movable arm connected with each ejector for swinging said ejector upwardly upon upward movement of said arm, and guide means rigid relative to each shelf engageable with each arm for causing said upward movement of the latter at a point immediately prior to the end of the ejection stroke of each ejector.

5. A collator comprising a plurality of superposed shelves open at one of their correspond ing ends, each shelf being adapted to support a stack of sheets thereon, an ejector over each shelf supported for reciprocable movement toward and away from the open ends of said shelves, said ejector being movable into engagement with the upper sheet of the stack therebelow during the ejection stroke of said ejector toward said open ends, means for elevating said ejector during its return stroke, means connected with said ejeotors for causing said reciprocable movement, said movement of said ejectors during said ejection stroke of each being sufiicient to fully eject the sheet engaged thereby, a chute for each ejected sheet extending from the open side of each shelf to point for discharge of said sheets REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 632,448 Dexter Sept. 5, 1899 716,434 Kneisly Dec. 23, 1902 748,198 McDowell et a1. Dec. 29, 1903 1,167,214 Petersen Jan. 4, 1916 1,241,897 Ananson Oct. 2, 1917 2,133,264 Wolfi Oct. 11, 1938 2,155,909 Senger Apr. 25, 1939 2,222,271 Warner Nov. 19, 1940 2,308,804 Dager Jan. 19, 1943 2,399,584 Thomas Apr. 30, 1946 2,436,168 Gregory Feb. 17, 1948 

